The level of detail spilling out through media reports about crucial national security operations is raising the question of whether President Barack Obama's administration can keep a secret - or in some cases even wants to.

In just the past week, two tell-all articles about Obama's leadership as commander-in-chief have been published, dripping with insider details about his sleeves-rolled-up involvement in choosing terrorist targets for drone strikes and revelations about his amped-up cyber war on Iran.

Each article notes the reporters spoke to "current and former" American officials and presidential advisers, as well as sources from other countries.

"This is unbelievable ... absolutely stunning," a former senior intelligence official said about the level of detail contained in the cyberattack story.

The official noted that the article cited participants in sensitive White House meetings who then told the reporter about top secret discussions. The article "talks about President Obama giving direction for a cyberweapons attack during a time of peace against a United Nations member state."

The article follows on the heels of what many considered dangerous leaking of details about a mole who helped foil a plot by al Qaeda in Yemen. The revelations of the British national threatened what was described at the time as an ongoing operation.

The Yemen plot had many intelligence and national security officials flummoxed and angered by its public airing. Despite that, a senior administration official then briefed network counterterrorism analysts, including CNN's Frances Townsend, about parts of the operation.

But such briefings are an "obligation" for the administration once a story like the Yemen plot is publicized, insisted National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor.

"The reason that we brief former counterterrorism officials is because they are extremely conscientious about working with us about what can and cannot be said or disclosed," Vietor told Security Clearance. "They understand that there is an obligation for the U.S. to be transparent with American people about potential threats but will work with us to protect operational equities because they've walked in our shoes."

Questions were raised about why details of documents and other articles that were seized during the raid were discussed even before the intelligence community had time to review what they were holding.

Leon Panetta, who at the time was the director of the CIA and is now the defense secretary, penned a letter to CIA staff warning against loose lips.

In the letter, obtained by CNN, Panetta wrote that the operation, "led to an unprecedented amount of very sensitive - in fact, classified - information making its way into the press."

"Disclosure of classified information to anyone not cleared for it - reporters, friends, colleagues in the private sector or other agencies, former agency officers - does tremendous damage to our work. At worst, leaks endanger lives," the letter said.

In the latest case, the White House denied it was orchestrating the leak. Asked Friday if the Times' story detailing the cyberattack on Iran was an "authorized leak," White House spokesman Josh Earnest disagreed "in the strongest possible terms."

"That information is classified for a reason. Publicizing it would pose a threat to our national security," Earnest told reporters.

But the White House has tried to be more open about what have been secretive programs. The president himself became the first administration official to acknowledge U.S. drones were conducting attacks in Pakistan when he made a comment to a supporter in an online chat, even though officials through all the years of the program had never said publicly they were being conducted.

Then, in April, the president's assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism, John Brennan, publicly blew the cover off the drone program, saying in a speech that "yes, in full accordance with the law - and in order to prevent terrorist attacks on the United States and to save American lives - the United States government conducts targeted strikes against specific al Qaeda terrorists, sometimes using remotely piloted aircraft, often referred to publicly as drones."

What also comes to mind is the "secret letter" oblamea sent to russia the day after he took office, then with the "Open mic" statements oblamea made to russia. do you have to be hit in the head with a brick to realize that this potus does NOT have Americas best interests a heart.. He wants to change America alright, and his actions show just how !!!

This administration has leaked top secret info from day one.. from top secret nuke info, to the TSA manuals, all "acidently" posted ONLINE. and yes, oblamea leaks the current blunders for political gain, and for that reason only !
this potus is a danger to AMERICA plain and simple..

President Obama, as president, has the authority to declassify matter. Prez O declassified his acts to deliberately present to the American public, because of pending elections, that he takes risks with America's military might.

You bet, This man has proven how tough he is. Sits on the Kill committee where he decides who lives and who dies. Even U.S. citizens are fair game, just ask Holder. So where is the outrage from the left that said Bush was so bad?

Bush was much worse–except to worthless, ignorant bigots like yourself.

June 2, 2012 at 2:14 pm |

Sue

Obama will release anything/everything, as long as it makes him look good. He is more concerned about what makes "him" look good, then what is best for our country. Based on this--you can easily come to the conclusion that there is definitely something in his college records/transcprits that do not make him look good, or they would have been released by now!!

DPatriot - you're the most mindless and ignorant parrot here. The GOP owns your pathetic little minds, evident by REALITY and your LACKING of the grasp of it. Worthless M0RONS–the kind that brought Bush into power and kept him there–and the kind that DO NOT realize their mistakes–YOU are the reasons why this country is going down.

June 2, 2012 at 2:16 pm |

fred37ify

After the Barrack regime outd the Pakistan doctor how much co=operation do you think we will get the next time we need an informant ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

It appears the one with impaired mental facilities, is you. Let's hope you would fail a drug test. There has to be some excuse.

June 2, 2012 at 1:28 pm |

Robyn Bj

Don't speak in ignorance. Stop your Mormon bashing it just shows how narrow minded you are.

June 2, 2012 at 2:58 pm |

VET

THIS IS JUST ONE MORE NAIL THE OBAMA MOB HAS DRIVEN INTO OUR COUNTRY. IF YOU CAN COUNT ON HANDS OR TOES,THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS BAND OF IDIOTS. TIME AND TIME AGAIN HE AND HIS MERRY
BAND HAVE BROKEN THE CODE OF "SECRET". TIME AND TIME AGAIN LIED.TIME AND TIME AGAIN WITH WET DREAM
POLICY'S,HAVE WASTED THE ECONOMY WITH GIVAWAYS OF CASH. IT IS UNAMERICAN IN HIS LEADERSHIP. HE
HAS EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE IMPEACHED-LET'S GET IT ON FOLKS,IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

Is this really such a mystery? The White House has been leaking classified material for over a year, as long as it make Obama himself look awesome. The most ridiculous part of this particular leak is that the cyberattack plan came from the Bush administration and their partnership with Israel; Obama wisely chose to continue the program, but didn’t originate it. The leakers made sure that the New York Times and Washington Post gave Obama the headlines, though, mentioning Bush’s involvement only as a subsidiary fact to Obama’s alpha-male status.

I don't think anyone in Choom family will be serving in the military. Can't speak for the other services, but the leader of the Choom gang would have been told, "I'm sorry but you are morally unqualified to join the Air Force" if he fessed up about his drug use.

You live in a fairy-tale. You complain about Obama, but refer to yourself as the citizen of a non-existent country. You also have no clue as to the meaning of "communism". Keep trying. You can always serve as a bad example.

"LOOSE LIPS – SINK SHIPS" – was the "battlecry" against "leaks" in WWII because any information regarding ship's movements opened them up to attack by UBoats.

The same is today – and with the media never being wililng to muzzle itself, always wanting to "break" the story", every trumpted detail involved in fighting Islamic and other forms of terrorism just "aids and abeits the enemy" !!

How do you know it was an Obama administration leak? Since the leak is specifically giving credit to the Bush administration for starting the Olympic Games program, I'm thinking this was a leak from someone in the Bush administration who was upset that Obama might get credit.

Not to worry if it would shine a bad light on this administration or heaven forbid on pres.Obama the press will not publish it. Just like the vote on gender abortions, which Pres.Obama has no objection to. Shows that Sebelius is rubbing of on him, she is all for late term abortion right up to the minute a baby is born.

What do you expect from these morons in the white house?
Their boss is selling Congressional Medals of Freedom to his Hollywood financiers showing no respect whatsoever for his job or his country. No surprise his minions are running wild also.

In the spy business believe nothing. Who knows what this contributed too or who its meant for. Was it meant to discredit or credit–who knows–none of us. You people must not read anything but the funny papers..

Damned if they do and damned if they don't. The accusations just keep flying. Either the press and the American people want to know what is happening or they do not. One way or the other these groups will complain. The Bush administration leaks the name of a CIA operative as well. Leaks happened and you cannot put a muzzles on people.

If Obama ever joined the military, he would be nothing but a cook because he would never qualify for even a confidential security clearance. He has admitted to abusing drugs. That is an automatic disqualification for a clearance. He associates with radical groups (Bill Ayers) which is also against regulation. He has ties with racists (Rev. Write) that any investigator would come to the conclusion that he is also a racist. I doubt he has done even a fraction of the security training that I went through in the navy. His drug abuse alone should disqualify him for president not to mention the radicals and racists.

Lizzie, no one EVER said innocent civilians don't get killed in any military operation. They fall under the title of "Collateral Damage" which includes animals, property, etc. the military always tries to limit those deaths or injury, but they can't eliminate it. To do otherwise, every dead enemy would have to be taken out by a sniper....and that's impossible. So live with it. The number of "innocent civilians" killed in bombings over Germany would be staggering. And let's not mention Hiroshima. In the Army, we had an old saying: "zhit happens, and then you die". Old Soldier, out.

It was also their bragging and boasting about the fake vaccine program in Pakistan that got the doctor who helped get Bin Laden arrested and thrown in prison. These jerks don't care about anyone as long as they can get their votes and agenda forwarded. Look at the Fast and Furious gun walking scheme. People died just so that they can blame Amercan gun freedom for Mexico's violence to further their agenda. Throw the bums out all over again. Time for Hope and Change again, hope we can change out the current administration again. Seems like the worst administration is ALWAYS the current one. Never re-elect ANYONE!

When you play president instead of actually knowing how to run a country this stuff happens. Obama was a no vote senator from the most corrupt state in the union. The media and uninformed liberals continue to put this man on a podium because of this color, not because of his skill set. If he was white he would have NOT been elected. Its a joke that the democrats defend him and never admit he is WRONG....

You're an idiot. He's done more to fix the broken economy than anyone. Dummies like yourself would elect the GOP (which cater to corporations, not the people) – just so you can go back to doing what you do best: complaining. But at least Romney wears magic underwear, and pushes multiple wives right?

And yet when Bush was president, every person hit by a drone rocket was a truck carrying baby bottles for orphans. Thank god we've got someone now that can blow up the right things because gosh darn it, I just can't stop being a hack.

Correction: Careless bragging about drone strikes has increased in the last three years. Prior to that, national security actually meant something and the Commander in Chief didn't go around advertising critical missions to contributors or inviting movie producers to come chat with him about how strong he was to make such bold moves. He is a political creature who is hellbent on changing America in the worst possible way. His entire adult life has predicted this behavior and he is playing it out perfectly.

The Yemeni operation was leaked by Brits (or Germans – it's not entirely clear). We have to cooperate with our allies in the war on terror, and we can't force them to keep their mouths shut
Drones were a secret the way Area 51 was a secret; that is to say, everyone knew about it.
Too much information WAS revealed about the bin Laden raid, and it might get the Pakistani doctor who helped us killed.
At least the Obama administration hasn't deliberately blown the cover of an active CIA officer for political reasons.

Anyone who thinks now that obama is acting with the interest of the United States first and foremost is either (1) totally uninformed or (2) CHOOSES to ignore the facts or (3) INCAPABLE of drawing logical conclusions based upon their observations and knowledge.

As long as so many voters simply parrot the lines they hear from the democratic propaganda machines and make no effort at all to examine facts we are doomed to the sort of adolescent fumbling that the White House is demonstrating. God help us as we get closer to the election - this man sees no reason to stop at ANYTHING to get reelected.

Funny. I feel the same way about people who parrot what they hear on Fox and Friends every morning.

(I'm not saying that's you.) Do I agree with everything that the prez does? No. But I also recognize that I am not nearly experienced or qualified enough to judge specific foreign policy actions taken by the administration. I rely on well-educated analysts for input.

What is wrong with that, as long as multiple perspectives are gathered? And don't you think it's possible that people will, when the evidence has been presented to them, come up with a different conclusion than you have arrived at?

It doesn't make them idiots. Please don't make the mistake of thinking that there is only one conclusion, one motivation, that can be reached when a set of data is analyzed.

"I feel the same way" ... This is the best indicator of the problem. "Feeling" is NOT "thinking".

Barry Soetoro is not here to "help" the United States. His goal is the complete destruction of the U.S. Unfortunately for the United States, it has created a rather large cottage industry out of treason during the last few decades. Barry is their finest creation.

He wouldn't exist without the willing cooperation of the media and other people in the government.

You can always identify the deluded by their use of the phrase "I feel" or some variation of it. "Feeling" is much more important that "thinking" for the 5th column because it distracts attention from rational conclusions.

Barry & friends, are enemies of the United States and the Constitution. Unfortunately, the other political party is composed of cowards and poltroons, so no appropriate and legal action is being taken.

June 2, 2012 at 10:43 am |

Bruce

Molli – You are a traitor. You mock a sitting president. Obama has more caring and intelligence in his little finger than you have under your tin-foil hat. We are safer, by all accounts, than we have ever been. I guess you just don't like the black guy.

The current administration has launched many times more effectve drone strikes and killed more bad guys than the last one you are apparently so in love with((not to mention running the country over the cliff) !

The leak: Isn't it good to know what happened? You knew about secret stuff from Wikileaks – and people appreciated that. Something of *international concern* – the concern of Iran possibly building nukes. It wasn't a go-it-alone operation (co-operation between countries) – one out to sort out what that scumbag Imadinnerjacket keeps playing us fools for. Aren't you better off knowing what your government has been up to, to protect World security? What's wrong with leaking this?

But the Republicans would NEVER leak anything that would result in embarassing him would they – oh nooooo – of course not – "keep America safe" Republican mantra (never mind the current administration has capped more bad guys than the last administration by a mile (and don't come back trying to credit the "enhanced interrogation" tactics of the Bush administration – whatever they "harvested" was not responsible for killing bin Laden or the Alawaki (sp?) or the barrage oft his administration's drone stikes). That argument is as falacious as trying to credit the Bush administration to begin with. If their intel was so good – why didn't THEY get as many bad guys !!!!

at this point – i don't care – humans as a whole will survive no matter what conflicts change up or groupings – we need to stop having national fears and security – and start having real deep human fears and securities – the ability to be a good people all over this world – not just in one or a few countries

We have never had good security in this country our Constitution and the publics right to know have allways gotten in the mix and the secrets have taken the back door to public knowledge ..... Charles Bowen Solomon Stone

So if the White House is denying that they are leaking any of the information/part of it/or a snippet WHY IS THERE NOT A HUGE INVESTIGATION INTO WHO IS RELEASING THIS INFORMATION?

I mean, Obama is the highest person in government to give authorization of the information out and if he did not OK the release, even anonymously, WHY IS HE NOT HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE, like Bush did with the PLame case, and say that they will hold the individual(s) responsible accountable under the law?

Last time I checked, the release of classified information is ILLEGAL under federal law. Just wondering why that aspect of the article here is missing when "the White House denied it was orchestrating the leak. Asked Friday if the Times' story detailing the cyberattack on Iran was an "authorized leak," White House spokesman Josh Earnest disagreed "in the strongest possible terms.""

Just asking CNN because I didn't see anything about an INVESTIGATION into leaks in your article LIKE there was with Bush and Plame.

Nothing to see here folks.
Same garbage happened under Bush,
Its ok when they do it, but bad when we do it.
One more brief moment when the Republicans run around with glee, screaming....
Se what they did, see what they did, just like little kids.

Too funny. Bush was roundly criticized for not relaying enough operational details of such missions. Now Wizard Chess, who doesn't understand recent history, thinks the opposite happened. Get a life, and a history book.

How recent is recent? You seem to forget Bushe's commuting of Scooter Libby's conviction for outing Valarie Plame.

June 2, 2012 at 8:52 am |

stateschool

Dubya was too busy trying to have Saddam Hussein killed for imaginary WMD's (and outing CIA agents) to bother with trying to capture or kill the people actually responsible for 9/11. He didn't have any operational details to reveal.

June 2, 2012 at 9:59 am |

paul

Remember, though, under Bush there were investigations into who was leaking CLASSIFIED information, such as the Plame case and others.

This is different. I agree with you that the situation with Valerie Plame was horrible, and I completely lost respect for the Bush Administration, or at least with most of the major actors involved in that reprehensible scandal. This is different in the level of detail being provided, either by the WH or by those in sensitive situation, but frankly by the WH. The bin Laden operation, for example. I thought at the time how unwise, how very foolish it was for the WH and Obama to release information and the danger to those on the ground there by their doing so. Now, of course, there is a Pakistani doctor who has been tortured and sentence effectively to the rest of his life in jail, if he is not killed outright or aiding the US. This is a very immature, unprofessional White House and Obama Administration. Bush was bad; I didn't believe anyone could be worse, but Obama is.

Put the bong down. This is revealing international security efforts. The leader of Iran has publically threatened to wipe Israel off the map. It's in the US's best interests to do what they did. US leaked information and now – Japan & Russia are telling the world that they can do the same thing themselves.... should give you a clue – it's cyber espionage to protect the *world's* security interests. China's been doing it to the USA for decades. The US is leading this effort with the help of the country they're trying to protect. How about thinking before you type?

As a career officer in the US Army I can state unquestionably that Pres Obama is the least respected Commander in Chief among me and my peers since i've been in this man's Army. It is quite clear to me too that the upper echelon feels the same way too, as off the record many times he is spoken about with disdain for his policies and now for putting us all in jeopardy with his Admins actions.

As a career Senior NCO that served over 20 years active duty, I can say with total confidence, you are full of crap. I can't wait for November so I can vote for Obama AGAIN. Only a sock puppet that has not studied history would support any Republican that runs for President.

I'm retired Marine Corps. I don't like Obama much, I think that overall he's been a very bad President. So was Bush. I don't see any overall trend in the service as to whether they like Obama more or less, but I can say this....only a complete fool who has kept their eyes firmly shut would vote for the monster currently in office. Romney isn't any better, I'll grant you that, but you cannot possibly be dumb enough to believe that Obama has done anything truly good for the military? The only thing, the absolute only thing, that I will say he did right was that he got rid of DADT. But other than that? We're still in two wars, we've gotten involved in other conflicts, we're still using gunboat diplomacy, and it still isn't working.

June 2, 2012 at 8:28 am |

drjem

CHUCK.....As a 20 plus years of military service, (With COMMAND Tenure) I will you....you must have dropped your mind or had a dumb attack way back since Basic Training if you believe that this m*u*s*l*i*m actually has (as his best interest) America in general & the 11Bravo (Combat Soldier) in particular. What a load of crap you shovel!

June 2, 2012 at 8:28 am |

SeeBee

As a Navy retiree of 28 years service, I say you are full of crap, Chuck. Bob is right. Obama draws more thinly veiled disdain from the active duty military than any President during my career. I was dismayed by the nearly open contempt displayed by military leaders toward Clinton when he was President, but Obama takes the cake.

As a military leader, I had to encourage and display professionalism. He's our Commander in Chief even if we didn't vote for him and can't wait to vote him out. But many of my colleagues were and are a lot more frank about their disgust with the man who occupies the oval office.

June 2, 2012 at 8:38 am |

Chuck in Jasper, Ga.

@ drjem Right.. I am fairly certain that you would have been one of the so called "officers" I would have beaten the crap out of which I did in fact do on 3 different occasions. I was never Court Martialed. Do you know why? Because the officers I beat the crap out of were incompetent boobs and the "Command" knew it.

June 2, 2012 at 8:42 am |

Maury

Yeh, you would much rather have an idiot that lies to America so he can send you to an immoral war so you and your buddies can be killed or commit suicide. Right? Give me a break!

Obama is NOT bringing us home. He shifts troops from Iraq to Afghanistan. I just retired a few months ago, but I have just as many friends currently in both theaters as I did 5 years ago.

June 2, 2012 at 8:30 am |

Chuck in Jasper, Ga.

Another thing I forgot,, you claim Obama's Administration " putting us all in jeopardy with his Admins actions", is as much crap. Obama did not start any wars based in lies of WMD's did he? Who did that? Bush. He is responsible for the deaths of many military people. Obama did not attack Pakistan to get Bin Laden did he? No he did not. Obama did not start a war to assist in the removal of Ghadaffi did he? No he did not. If any president's administration is responsible for our military personnel being in danger, it is Bush. I seriously doubt you are an officer of any type. You do not have enough common sense for anyone to listen to any order you might give.

More like this career officer clown is upset that the buddies he'd recruited, were taken away and prosecuted for hurting/killing families overseas – and he now wants revenge for being made to look bad. Actually, more like this is some delusional red necked punk from arkansas who doesn't like blacks, playing make-believe. Armchair recruiter – for a league in COD on his XBOX 360.

The Obama administration is the most irresponsible and amateurish administration ever to occupy the White House.
Their cynical use of leaked Top Secret information to portray Obama as a heroic warrior president, exactly when it became clear that he can't run on his record on the economy, is proof that Obama is unfit to be president. Of course the NY Times only briefly mentioned that this program started under Bush, and Obama's only real contribution was not cancelling it...

How the Dems and the liberal media went on and on about the Plame story, where she was never in harms way, or even involved with ANY ongoing operations. Yet now Obama deliberately leaks Top Secret details about ongoing operations, not to mention leaking the identities of sources and operators in Pakistan involved in the raid on Bin Laden, which led to their immediate arrest (See: Dr. Shakil Afridi).

I hope that Congress launches an immediate investigation into these leaks, which help America's enemies, and will probably cause allies to think twice before sharing any sensitive Intel with the U.S.

I'm sure you said exactly the same thing when Valerie Plame was outed by the Bush Administration. Remember Scooter Libby? Remmebr how even after convicted in a court of law his sentenced was commuted by the same toad that authorized the leak, George W. Bush. Of course not. He was a Republican right?

Chuck, you really have to stop using facts. Stick with things like: his was born in Kenya and he's a secret Muslim. Also, some of my favorites, he hates white people, America , the military, sunny days and the girl scouts. Your dealing with people who have problems with him no matter what he does. They want things to go back to they way they were under "W", banks doing whatever they wanted without recourse, tax breaks for the rich and out of control insurance companies. What they did to Plame was justified in theirs eye, because in their view she and her husband did not play ball.

June 2, 2012 at 9:02 am |

CC

I've been reading the comments and fail to see the relevance of Plame/Libby to the merits of the actions of the Obama administration. Yes, the Plame / Libby debacle was shady and the "investigation" was a joke, but does that mean we should have the same outcome for this spate of leaks? I submit that it does not. What matters people's lives and US foreign interests were adversely affected (life sentence for one at least in Pakistan) by some of the poor information decisions by members of the administration and/or the military and they should be held accountable. Otherwise, I am fairly sure it will be one hell of a lot harder if not impossible to pull off another mission like Bin Laden.

June 2, 2012 at 9:37 am |

krehator

Note these same people criticizing Obama, supported Bush, and turned a blind eye to everything he did. They did so even when he had the worst approval rating. Why? Because it is not about moral values any more. It's not about listening to the people. It's about power. They would support a pile of dog dung as long as it has a GOP button attached to it.

They had 8 years, with 6 of them holding Congress. What did they accomplish? Seriously? What?

Double National Debt.
Nearly double unemployment.
Billions in no bid contracts.
Nearly no accoutability for the money. It was a free-4-all for war profiteers.
Trillions in debts that are just now comming to light. Just wait for the VA claims to hit taxpayers.
Two wars with promises they could not keep.
Loss of privacy and liberty for the sake of false security.
The list goes on....

I am laughing at how desperate the GOP is .. but it is also a clear sign that there is an carefully planned campaign of fabricated news to make the Administration look weak in the handling of military issues.

Obama has amassed amazing successes military and diplomatically to the point that the GOP lost is claim about being better at handling crisis. Under GOP the country was attacked under GOP Bin Laden got away under GOP two wars started none ended. Obama corrected all that, while starting and ending a war successfully without putting one single US soldier on the ground . The GOP is desperate s they try to make Obama look weak, because they can't look strong since they are weak. Not going to work!

It is childish and completely void of integrity. I've never seen the GOP act so petty and immature. They have turned into a bunch of whinning liberals!!! They have become what they have traditionally said they hate.

American nation like any other nation in the world is a victim of the policy on war on terror. Obama during election campaign used to blame Bush for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and had promised American nation that he will call the troops back and will change reliance MIC. Unfortunately like others he too cheated his nation and during last four years has significant addition to deaths of Americans, other NATO members, Afghans and Pakistanis. In fact Obama has proved more deadly then his predecessors. Wars have never been useful to any party involved therefore founding Fathers of American nation, in declaration of independence had criticized war mongers in international affairs and had advised all Americans to concentrate on trade and avoid alliances which according them is a main cause behind wars in the world. Today America is a main part of all wars in the world which leave no doubt in saying that Americans have no right to feel proud for their open disobedience of their forefathers and national ideals like Universal peace, Justice and fraternity.

Pretty scary isn't it? It just goes to show that the presidency is more of a popularity contest than anything anymore. I don't know what the voters are going to do when it's two minorities running against each other. Their heads may explode.

The question asked can this adminastration keep secrets? It does seem like it wants to sometimes. They may be using free secerts as propaganda to warn other governments or prevenative spin before the media freely messes with facts.

"The question asked can this adminastration keep secrets? It does seem like it wants to sometimes. They may be using free secerts as propaganda to warn other governments or prevenative spin before the media freely messes with facts."

I agree.

However it is election time so the radical right wing approach is to find a way to spin it into political criticism again the Presdient.

Most of these people slamming the President don't even have the level of information he does in order to second guess his decisions. How many of them know anything outside of what the media or political party tells them to believe?

You don't have to have the "same level of information" as the POTUS to realize that some of the things they run their mouth about would have been better left unsaid.

June 2, 2012 at 2:54 am |

krehator

Don't like it? Run for President. Until then you are just a whiner on a CNN forum.

June 2, 2012 at 3:00 am |

jonesy

love when people don't have a good comeback so they resort to some lame tagline and accusations!

June 2, 2012 at 3:06 am |

Jerry

This is getting out of control. The media (ALL media, right wing, left wing, those who claim to walk the neutral line) feed on these sensational stories. Everyone wants to be the first to air the big breaking news on some case. We saw it with Bin Laden, the Trayvon Martin fiasco, and a wide variety of other things. The media never stops and considers the consequences or outcomes of their stories other than ratings and revenue. I don't care how much they try to say they're being honest and open in their reporting.

At the same time, this administration can't seem to keep anything under wraps. Some major international incident comes up, and they immediately spill the beans about how much we knew, or how much we were involved, or how much intel we had. It's horrifically scary how much the government has revealed to the world. And of course, the media feeds off of it. It's sad that I feel like this administration has put out so much information regarding how we operate simply to use it as election campaign propaganda.

I would think that 20 years of military service would have you cringing at how much military stuff this administration has put out. The Osama bin Laden mission, if nothing else, was a ridiculous circus afterwards. Then the UAV in Iran. Then him showing up in Afghanistan exactly a year after bin Laden's death. Obama doesn't consider the troops when he talks about military action. Heck, this is the same guy that voted AGAINST the surge in Iraq if you don't remember.

if you are in Afghanistan, your job is not getting done, with you spending and wasting tax payers money going back on forth on the INTERNET. Your lane is to if you have one is to conduct military duties.

June 2, 2012 at 8:18 am |

Chuck in Jasper, Ga.

Stay safe Brother. I tip my "cover" to you. Thanks. Most of the trolls making postings have never served nor would they ever.

June 2, 2012 at 8:36 am |

WDinDallas

If you are in southern Afghanistan, congrats....you have an early ticket home. See you soon, but your family won't.

transparency is ok with you, as long as you're not the one going into battle....transparency that obama talked about was mostly about passing bills, not military missions, where you put our servive men and women in harms way....you don't have a right to that

ok...the transparity where Nancy Pelosi said "we have to pass obamacare to find out what's in it...while she and harry reid got waivers for their own districts

June 2, 2012 at 2:28 am |

Coty

So wait didn't the pentagon declare cyber attacks acts of war? So isn't this and flying drones over their country an act of war? Are we not already provoking the crap out of them to do something? What do you think would happen if they retaliated? They are well within their right to do so. All you idiots who think war with Iran is going to be awesome have another thing coming. How much do you think gas and other things are gonna cost if they even attempt to block the strait? Doesn't even matter if they're 10% successful the threat alone is all that's needed.

Yes, Obama just keeps earning that Nobel Peace Prize which he kept every day.

June 2, 2012 at 8:07 am |

what

Obama is sending drones, to keep americans off of the soil. What's wrong with that? You complain that troops are overseas – he's pulling them out – and he's also protecting US security interests with drones & cyber espionage. All hands-off tech. What's your problem? I can only think of you being dropped on your head too many times as a baby (probably not enough times).

June 2, 2012 at 12:59 pm |

Hadenuffyet

Just a crock to stir controversy , if your not to know , you won't....

@americana, this is nothing new to polititians. Remember the "Mission Accomplished" sign above Bush? Anyone with any common sense knew that would cost American lives. They all get in a hurry to pat themselves on the back, then condemn their opponent for doing the same thing.

he's protecting the US with hands-off spy tech. those drones are US-made, are they not? obama's not sending people overseas to do this work, right? what's the problem then? have you taken your meds today?

We are setting totally awesome precedents for what is allowed in cyberwarfare. By admitting we were behind Stuxnet and Duqu – the viruses that destroyed Iran's centrifuges in their nuclear 'PEACEFUL' reactors, we could have caused a meltdown resulting in millions of innocent lives being lost. That was, after all,m the idea – to make it 'look like an accident'. So when that happens to our own nuclear reactors in our own country, the rest of the world can say it's perfectly ok and legal because the USA did it before. Awesome.

Please try to limit your arguments to facts. Centrifuges don't meltdown. Centrifuges are used to enrich uranium so that it can be used either in nuclear reactors or nuclear weapons. Uranium in the centrifuges never goes critical so it can never melt down. Stuxnet made the centrifuge technology malfunction, thereby preventing the uranium from being enriched. If anything, Stuxnet PREVENTED a potential meltdown, by helping to prevent any enriched uranium from ever being loaded into a nuclear reactor. If a reactor can't run, it can't ever meltdown.

for everything we do know, i think there are a lot more darker and many secrets we do not know. how ever i do believe its not necessary for us to know everything in the government especially when it comes to safety.

Nobody can keep a secret as long as CNN is around. I love how these so called anonymous sources can give information but can't reveal their identity. A) because they would lose their job and B) CNN pays them for the gossip to post on their pathetic website. CNN isn't a news network anymore. Its ranks up there with the National Inquirer. It only posts so called "news" based on which ever is in its interests That's called propaganda.....

CNN and other media organizations are responsible for covering this information. Why don't you stop revealing everything the government does. Is there no loyalty to keeping things quiet. CNN spills everything. Shameful. Stop doing it. It is just for ratings and not national security.

CNN is no different than any other news network, it is owned, and they are told what they can report. This whole report makes the current administration look bad, which fits right into CNN's normal path... The truth is quite a bit different than what is actually reported most of the time.

This administration ceases to amaze me. Transparency okay, giving up national security interests are tantamount to treason! This knucklehead only cares about re-election and is doing everything he can, regardless of the impact to the "foot soldier".

really, only this administration? I say again, "Mission Accomplished" sign caused more death and destruction than any other moronic deed since Regan and his "Evil Empire" talk while our military was practicing an all out nuclear attack. 1983 was almost our last year on this wonderful planet due to Regan's inability to read the issues.

Years upon years a relied on CNN for news.. as they used too be the Journalistic News Source and the end all be all of news... (Way back in the day). Now I simply come here once in a blue moon to remind myself that they are the absolute epitomy of tabliod agenda driven news that represents Corporamerica and all it stands for.... Anyway.. back too the real news.. on another site.. elsewhere.. happy hunting everyone!

Is Flame the cooperation between US and Israel targeting Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah?

No, I don't think so. It is a cooperation between US, Israel and China. When the Russians found out, they were flabbergasted at being left out. They felt like a helpless road-killed raccoon – Exposing it gave them back a feeling of being in control and self-respect.

What's more? Saudi Arabia knows about it, because they pressured us into doing it.

The best thing Obama can do is expose all his victories or at least make it as his victories. The truth is the GOP President Bush really dropped the ball hard by announcing that he could care less where Osama is and plainly left everyone thinking he wasn't even trying to find him, whether it's true of not.

So if Obama wants to get re elected, he must put this stuff on his resume regardless if he should get credit and even if he can be accused of jeopardizing the mission's in question.

I looks worse to complain about it then to assume credit for it.

Good for Obama - Romney has nothing on his resume so all he can do is complain without any authority of the issue with any sort of substance.

Most of us in the middle and left of the spectrum have gone numb of the GOP lack of substance regardless.

Experience doesn't seem to be a qualification for president anymore. Omaba never led a town, city or state. Was in less than one term as a senator, and 90% of his votes were not yes/no, they were 'present'. He was a lawyer, who apparently didn't get involved in any cases. At least Romney has led some companies. You may not like HOW he ran those companies, and that is fine, but at least he led them. Hilary Clinton became a senator simply because her husband was a president. And the list go on and on. Both sides of the aisle. 1/2 the R's and D's should be in jail for various felonies and treasonous activities. I could run for president also, except I don't have a friend who was a terrorist, to announce my campaign in his living room.

I find it funny that everyone can sound off about his loose lips, yet we're all reading this on the "cnn security clearance." The media lives for this sort of information and even hypes up the website with graphics to make us believe we're james bond getting top secret information...

General Sherman once said he despises the newspapermen in his camp, they are nothing more than spies... true in the civil war, true in the war on terror.

It seems as though this administration had Facebook Syndrome....you know what I mean? It's like they are compelled to tell everyone every little they do, no matter if it's really anyone else's business or not. I believe in transparency, when it comes to things the American public should know about, but not when it comes to intelligence, covert ops, things such as these. With a 24/7 news cycle, satellite television and the world wide web....I truly believe that certain people in certain parts of the government really need to stop talking. Really need to stop talking.

Facebook? Really? You might have it half right. Face or facia. Do you really think a guy who graduated ( not just attended) from an Ivy league school leaks critical information-ever? Anyone who has ever been in high school and wants to see just how complex the gossip web is knows about controlled releases of interesting yet not vulnerable information. Any girl who wants to know which of her friends gossips about her knows about controlled release of information. So, I sincerely doubt the CIA, nor any other Information Gathering Agency 🙂 is "leaking" anything. This is more like a son knowing his dad's buddy saw him driving his dad's sportscar to a club "fessing up" that he drove his dad's car, but not "fessing up" to other events. Bottom line, us citizens are told what we need to know, for which I am grateful, and not told what we don't need to know, for which I am also grateful. Just reading the national news headlines of all the cannibals running loose is enough to keep me up at night. I trust those "on that wall" keeping me safe–and I am grateful. And I don't believe these leaks are relevant information to national security at all–and neither should you. Here's to a good night's sleep!

Nobody trusts the US Government, or US Intelligence Agencies anymore. The personal ulterior motives of inadequate personalities trump national security every hour of every day of the week. Punishment that fits the crime? Airdrop these people suffering from anal leakage into anti-US strongholds everywhere in the world and let them fend for themselves.

Awww....dat's so cuuuute lil' czar-baby. You scared big bad prez gonna take your welfare away from you? Waaaaaa!!!!! Waaaaaa!!!! Da-da Prez take care of me! I don't know how to take care of myself and I'm 40-something, dumb and had a hard life!!!! Waaaaaaaaa!!!! Get some therapy. Get a job. Get a life, and stoop leeching off those who work for a living.

Koresh was an offshoot of the Seventh Day Adventists. Don't know about Jeffs. Romney is Mormon.

June 2, 2012 at 1:11 am |

queenbee10

Seventh day adventists ARE an offshoot of the mormons. The answer is YES–Romney is a member of the same religion as Jeffs and Koresh–just like Obama (if he is a Christian) is from the same religion as Ted Bundy, and McVeigh.

June 2, 2012 at 3:15 am |

justme2323

Every time you open your mouth, you just prove how stupid it is to worship a political party. Got a problem with Romney being a draft dodger? Fine. Blame Clinton, he managed to make that a non-issue for now on. The parties are the same, buying votes with welfare. Either corporate or individual welfare. Let's go back to a FEDERAL government with limited power and see how happy that makes everybody. Each state could have its own version of eutopia and you could simply choose which one to reside in. Free to move at any time to a different one. Fools and hypocrites, let's worship a political party, that will be cool. Maybe even get a job posting comments for them....

You really do not want to leave things up to individual states–when you do each state becomes a fiefdom and corruption abounds. The negligence of Katrina, and the Minnesota bridge collapse and the Indiana State Fair collapse can all be laid at the feet of internal policies and corruption at state levels. When you give the states too much power and the money from taxes, that money often gets misappropriated. The idea of the "states can do it better" is a fallacy. Take ANY state and follow the money and what is really happening in those states and you will find most states are abusing their citizenry, have cronyism, corruption and even corrupt courts. Power corrupts and Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

If Romney dies, I will dance the Irish gigg and pee on his grave. Oh wait, why waste good pee on such a SCUM-OF-THE-EARTH. I hope his house in California get consumed by the ocean with him and his family in it.

Just remember, it isn't religion that kills people, it is people (extremists) that kill people.
I know a few Christians that would make some Arabs look like saints. We will not even go into the corruption in the Catholic church, it is almost as bad as the corruption in our govt'....

Point is, don't judge people on their religion, there are idiots in all areas...

Get rid of dual-citizen Muslims and the terror will stop. Get rid of lying politcians and the chaos will stop. Get rid of red-necked m0r0ns named "Tex, " and....oh darn, I'm not sure we can do that...there are just SO MANY WALKING AROUND THIS COUNTRY LATELY. You know what? Keep a few of the Muslims and have them suicide bomb the red-necked m0r0ns and then the problem's solved!

It would appear is that Obama has no desire to keep a secret, if spilling it will make his administration look better to voters. Outing the Pakistani doctor is a prime example. Although it put the doctor in peril and diminished the chances of any such assistance from anyone, worldwide, in the future, it helped (in Obama's mind) his reelection campaign. Shows how he can, or make that could, enlist foreigners to support the USA.

Just so you people who replied to my earlier post know, I didn't vote for Obama. And I don't plan to this time around either. I was simply stating a fact. Bush said "Mission Accomplished" but didn't really accomplish anything. And I am also aware that Obama didn't **personally** kill Osama bin Laden. I never said he did. I said "the Obama Administration" did. It may be a stretch to include military units as part of that, but the fact of the matter in that the mission was actually accomplished during Obama's term as President (if you believe the press on that subject, which I am actually not 100% convinced of but that's another story) which is more than Bush can say. Here's a reminder about his "priorities"...

"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him."
– President George W. Bush, 9/13/01

"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." ... "And, again, I don't know where he Osama Bin Laden is. I — I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him."
– President George W. Bush, 3/13/02
Source: March 13, 2002 White House Press Conference Transcripts

Those are his words, folks. He can't take them back. They're part of history now.

What? But W is a god, his word is infallible. Obviously a god can contradict himself, if he wants to. I'll just keep chewing grass and say 'baaaaahhh' every now and then. And pay my taxes, because they are being used to pay for so many beneficial things for us good little americans, who don't question anything at all.

Senator Obama, Floor of teh Senate, March 20,2006:
The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here.” Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.

They certainly do deserve better. Throw this teleprompter-reading fraud out of the White House.

June 2, 2012 at 1:08 am |

czar33

GOD BLESS PRESIDENT OBAMA, LONG LIVE OBAMA!!
It is the SUMS like Mitt Romney that are killing the USA. Obama is only one man, remember the WAR hungry George Bush's LOVE wars also. George Bush started the war in the Mid-East not Obama, George Bush is the one that made all of our 401k's go broke. All I can say is I wish Romney and his 5 Golden sons get a stage #4 cancer and die a slow painful death and I will say this on nation TV. I wish he gets sick and dies from cancer before November 2012.

Remember what goes around comes around. You obviously have never witnessed cancer steal the life from someone you love or you would never wish it on anyone. I can't stand either candidate but you took that too far. I feel sorry for you, please get help.

c-33, you are one sick SOB. Just remember, what goes around comes around. All the hatred and evil you espouse will manifest in YOU one day, and it will be extremely unpleasant (that is, if you're even bright enough to understand what that means). You need some serious help, unless you are a troll...in which case you would STILL need intensive psychiatric therapy. Oh, one more thing – Romney in 2012!!!!!!!! 🙂

Oh come on! This is staged. Barry's crew wants to make it look like he is runnign the world from behind the curtain. Frist he killed Bin Laden by himself, then he has a personal kill list, now he is a cyber warrior. If he is doing all this me and my freinds sitting in the desert can go home now.

Uh, it's the responsibility of the press, adminstration and every American to never compromise national security. I know that's something you probably take lightly - you're probably a "no borders"-type of individual who naively thinks if we just "reach out" and show how much we care that everyone else is going to play along. Sorry, this reality, there are evil forces out in the world who want to jeopardize our way of life and now's not the time for stupid thinking.

Okay, you begin by thanking the "President", which is for some reason quotated, to asking a question without a question mark, spelling Mass Murder not with capital letters, but only with the first letter of each word capitalized, to spelling INNOCENT CHILDREN and NATION with all capitals, to using a dash before writing something which makes absolutely no sense within parentheses and ending it with two question marks, to sarcastically calling the president a Muslim and contrasting that with TRUE Christian(s) that would never do something I believe you may actually be referring to in those parentheses, before ending with a GOD BLESS AMERICA all in capitals, and three, count 'em three, exclamation marks and an ellipsis. So, what the hell are you actually trying to say?

Ur the f'n idiot. Polygamy been dead for the lds for OVER a 100 yrs superstar. Libertard for sure.

June 2, 2012 at 12:54 am |

DocReality

I think you might be the Mormon. Oops, I mean "moron." Polygamy is not accepted by the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Romney has big business experience and knows what a budget is. I'll be voting for the Mormon....and throwing out the moron.

June 2, 2012 at 12:57 am |

byronswetland

Drinking the Kool-Aid® again? I never mentioned Romney. Get some rest... Nite!

June 2, 2012 at 12:58 am |

Lodo

Word Doc.

June 2, 2012 at 12:59 am |

TP320

D-Bag Alert!!

June 2, 2012 at 8:47 am |

Robyn Bj

I am Mormon and I take offense at that comment. No one in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints has more than one wife. I feel very sorry for you lthat believe such things and are full of hate for a group of people. It was people like you who shot and killed my husband's great, great grandfather and his 6 year old son at Haws Mill in Missouri just because they were Mormons.
Stick to the topic and leave your predjuice out of it please.

and she is right that she can not verify if I am lying or not but that does not mean she should go discrediting the last ten years of my life."

Wahhhhhhhh! Cry about it Brandon. You are so weak. It is not about discrediting you so much as putting you in perspective for all other posters. You seek VALIDATION on an opinion blog? WHY? Not getting it in your :"intelligence job"?

You like perspective. If you are truly in intelligence then sites such as this are only venues for getting a feel for public sentiment and occasionally for assessing subversive sentiment. But not you–no you want to be a "big intelligence guy". I can tell within just a few interactions with you on this blog that you either are an imposter or a mistake that should be rectified. I'm working on that. Keep your ears open. LOL

Sorry Brandon–you LACK perspective and intelligence without perspective is not intelligent at all. THINK about that cowboy–if you want to play the part–FIRST UNDERSTAND THE ROLE–or you WILL be called on it–now WHO the heck am I to be saying such stuff to an important member of the intelligence community such as yourself? You are clueless and if you are not paranoid–you should be.

It’s called secret intelligence and it’s how we got Bin Laden. Our military and defense have to operate covertly to protect our national interests, but it’s no surprise that Obama the Amateur doesn’t understand that.

Like Tommy Lee Jones said in “Men in Black”… there's always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable little planet, and the only way these people can get on with their happy lives is that they DO NOT KNOW ABOUT IT!

You are wrong! It is the SUMS like Mitt Romney that are killing the USA. Obama is only one man, remember the WAR hungry George Bush's LOVE wars also. George Bush started the war in the Mid-East not Obama, George Bush is the one that made all of our 401k's go broke. All I can say is I wish Romney and his 5 Golden sons get a stage #4 cancer and die a slow painful death and I will say this on nation TV. I wish he gets sick and dies from cancer before November 2012.

You do not believe "ONE MAN" can do much; are you alright?? Ask the Jewish Nation about "ONE MAN" by the name of Adolf... NUFF SAID!

June 2, 2012 at 12:45 am |

MontanaTrace

Read the article. It's about leaking secrets.

June 2, 2012 at 1:02 am |

TP320

B l a c k much?

June 2, 2012 at 8:43 am |

Robyn Bj

Stop with the personal attacks and stick to the subject. O has ruined this country. He is exposing the military to greater threats because he can't stop bragging. By the way Mitt Romney and his sons are far better men than Obama will ever be. I think Obama needed to lay off the pot when he was growing up.

June 2, 2012 at 11:45 am |

annaj144

It’s called secret intelligence and it’s how we got Bin Laden. Our military and defense have to operate covertly to protect our national interests, but it’s no surprise that Obama the Amateur doesn’t understand that.

To quote Tommy Lee Jones in “Men in Black”… there's always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable little planet, and the only way these people can get on with their happy lives is that they DO NOT KNOW ABOUT IT!

And yet, it was W's admin that was setting up numerous lies, outing spies, talking constantly about all sorts of intel, and all just in front of elections. However, I do not forgive O for this. He needs to clamp down on this. It should NOT have been confirmed that we are working against Iran.

I hate to point this out, but both W and reagan offered up a lot more security items then has O. However, that does not excuse this. I think that the feds need to crack down on security issues. We have been infiltrated by Chinese and other nations, spies. Likewise, the idea that we tell terrorists who helped us to take out OBL, while not providing protection to him, is just plain wrong.

Maybe a member of Congress should read into the record the definition of "High Crimes" and start the impeachment and arrest proceedings against Obama. It is clear that he and his advisers are TRAITORS. And yes we are technically still at war with North Korea, so TREASON is a proper charge.

Reign in the birthers then we will talk about reigning in the race card.

June 2, 2012 at 12:28 am |

queenbee10

Bush has set the precedent–no matter the breach in security or lies or even actions that put the country at risk–we will not impeach our leaders–if we go after Obama, we most definitely would also have to get Cheney and Bush–and also curtail the potential future actions of the next President which could mean the Republican nominee would be hamstrung if he won.

Well these leaks are outrageous we are not, nor have we ever been at war with North Korea. The Korean "War" was a police action by the US lead United Nations. South Korea is the only country currently at war with North Korea. The United States last war was World War II, since then we have only had conflicts

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CNN's Security Clearance examines national and global security, terrorism and intelligence, as well as the economic, military, political and diplomatic effects of it around the globe, with contributions from CNN's national security team in Washington and CNN journalists around the world.